1. Field of the Invention
Oilfield applications often present challenging operational requirements with respect to equipment used downhole. Requirements of oilfield equipment may include high strength, resistance against chemical attack by harsh well fluids, maintenance of mechanical properties at high temperatures, transparency to nuclear, magnetic, acoustic, and inductive energy, as well as a variety of other requirements. Attempts have been made to use fiber reinforced polymer tubular components in oilfield applications, but the challenging operational requirements can limit the effectiveness of these components.
2. Description of Related Art
In the polymer composites industry, resin systems used to manufacture advanced composites generally are either thermosetting resin systems or thermoplastic resin systems. Thermosetting resin systems use a curing agent, sometimes referred to as a hardener, which acts as a catalyst to facilitate curing of the thermosetting resin to a hard polymer material. Such materials are useful in a wide variety of applications. However, the survival of such products downhole can be limited because of the harsh wellbore environment. For example, wellbore environments may subject the material to extreme pressures, temperatures, vibrations, and harsh/corrosive fluids, such as water with varying pH levels. Fiber reinforced polymers, for example, incur severe loss of tensile strength with prolonged exposure to brine, CO2 and H2S at elevated temperatures.
Furthermore, water in the well environment permeates through the polymer matrix and acts as a plasticizer which reduces the glass transition temperature of the material. Water can also react with the glass fibers in fiber reinforced polymers in a manner that causes leaching of ions, surface shrinkage, and cracking. The interface between the glass fibers and the polymer matrix can also be attacked by the ingress of water into the composite material, causing loss of interfacial strength as a result of de-bonding of the polymer from the glass fibers. Accordingly, the longevity of fiber reinforced polymeric materials in well environments can be limited.